Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-11-14
MIsCHIEv0Us UTTERANCE.
Says the San Francisco Eraminer


The punishment of the Anarchists was net an
incident of ordinary justice; il was an act OF
war. 1t was meant TO COW the enemies of so
ciety, and 1t has succeeded. There was plenty
of talk of throwing bombs yesterday, but no
bombs were thrown 1t is this broad principle
OF public policy that gave the Chicago authori-
tics the ilght to hang men. who, under ordinary
circumstances, would scarcely have been pros
ecuted. 1t may have been q hardship to the
selected examples to make them suffer for an
oftense which thousands before them had COM
United with impunity, but things had reached
point at which individual feelings and in a
measure, individual Justice had to be over
looked for the safety OF society. The Haymar-
ket riot was the critical point at which disaf fec
po,rers of order in a bloody Struggle wnose euI
could not be foreseeD. The trial OF the Anarch-
lti was nominally under the then existing COM
mon and statute law, but it was really under a
sort of eX post facto law of public necessity
the jury were supposed to he convinced be-
You'd q reasonable doubt that LiDgg. Fischer
ana thelr companions were accessories before
the fact to the murder of Policeman Degan
What they were actually convinced of was that
the defendants were guilty of reasonable
conspiracy against society that they were dy.
namiters on principle, and that if they did not
throw the particular bomb in question nor
know who did throw it. they We're capable of
throwing it, and might throw one next time
The Ebaminer is either DESTROYS of pro-
mitigating the false idea that there is
punishment in this country for opinions
sake; that we recognize political crime
and condemnation for it, or else it is woe
fully ignorant of the laws and of the facts
of the trial and conviction of the Chicago
assassins. They were tried for murder
under the ordinary laws of the State of
Illinois forbidding the taking of human
life. They were not tried for political
opinions entertained or expressed, but for
the murder of seven police officers, who
were, as representatives Of the people, dis
charging their sworn duty in preserving the
public peace. This idea that the assassrns
were made martyrs for the sentiments en-
tertained is miscellaneous, false and absurd.
Ii they were martyrs, what were the police
men for whose murder they were indicted,
and by their peers found guilty? Such
expressions as We have quoted from the
frominer will be seized upon by Anarchists
to send abroad, to fortify their assertion
that the Chicago murderers were hanged
Tor entertainment and expression Of GER
tain opinions, when the truth is there
could be nothing further from the fact.
The San Francisco Alta, with commend
able promptness, rebukes the Examiner for
It's dangerous expression. 1t says:
Ii is not true that these men were hung for in
cendiary speeches separate from an overt act
that is capital ofiepSe under our laws. They
not only advised and iucited murder but were
proved by testimony that is not impeached to
have taken direct part in that crime by the
murder of seven officers of the law and the
wouns:lg of sixty others. They were tried lust
as they would have been had they been cut
purses, killing for money. No right given an
accused man by our laws was denied them. No
well-settled rule OF evidence WIS violated in Sc
curing and developing the testimony against
them. Defended by able counsel, there was no
limit TO their opportunity 60 prove themselves
free, except such as the law ent0rces upon all
citizens.
They had conspired to commit murder and
they did murder. To say that such depart
ure from ordinary rules OF law and evidence rs
the proceedings that eliminated in Fridays
stranglines could be justified only IL il seemed
hkeiy 10 produce greater good is to utter q
moss atroclous and indeSensibie libel unworthy
OF an American journal. To add to this false
mood, that other that we borrowed the methods
OF foreign repression in order TO reach theSe.
men, is to use the exact Language of every Ai.
asciilSt VINO has commented uyon the case
anu Is heart!ess and treasonatle libel uton
ouf country. f